Every person possesses Instagram. Instagram is also utilized by dogs and babies. Even unborn babies have managed to accumulate followers. If you feel like you’re lagging behind, remember that achieving success with Instagram marketing has already been accomplished multiple times, implying that you can accomplish it as well. There are specific tactics that consistently yield successful results.
If you effectively utilize Instagram marketing, it can be a valuable investment of both your money and time, considering that ninety percent of Instagram accounts follow a business. To achieve success on this platform, you must consistently generate content that captivates your audience, build your following, and enhance your engagement rate. Hence, this post will present you with nineteen techniques to accomplish these objectives.
Effective Instagram marketing strategies
1. Reach new audiences on Instagram
If you want to prioritize your Instagram strategy, the initial step is to concentrate on expanding your audience. Fortunately, numerous features and tactics are now available to help you enhance your reach on Instagram.
Tactics for reaching new audiences on Instagram can be thought through step by step.
- Instagram collabs: Tap into new audiences by co-authoring a feed post or Reel with another Instagram user.
- Instagram reels: Consistently share Reels that align with your niche to reach new audiences via the Reels and Explore tabs.
- Instagram carousel posts: Carousel posts are the perfect format for sharing educational or insightful content. And the best part? They’re super shareable. More shares = greater reach.
- Add a Keyword to your Instagram name field: Add a commonly searched term to your Instagram name field to increase your profile visibility via the Explore Page.
- Giveaways: Hosting a giveaway is a fast-pass tactic for boosting reach, especially when the entry requirements include tagging friends or sharing a post on stories.
2. Convert profile visitors into Instagram Followers
After successfully attracting new audiences on Instagram, the next step is to persuade them to become followers. Comparatively, if you were to use a fishing comparison, you can cast your line multiple times, but without the appropriate bait, it is unlikely that you will successfully catch anything.
To convert visitors into followers on Instagram, here are five tactics that can be employed.
- Profile picture and Bio: A well-crafted profile bio and picture tell your audience what you’re all about. Think of it as a sign above your shop door that encourages people to walk in.
- Content pillars: Having clear and consistent content pillars (topics you frequently cover) will convince visitors that your posts are aligned with their interests. The more obvious your content pillars, the more likely people will follow your account.
- Stories highlights: Instagram Stories Highlights sit at the top of your Instagram profile, making them great for giving a quick preview of what your content is all about. Make sure your highlights are up to date, reflect your main content themes, and visually support your brand.
- Pinned posts: Spotlight specific feed posts right at the top of your grid. It could be a popular Reel, an introductory post, or a post that generates a ton of saves. Let your best content shine.
- Feed aesthetic: First impressions count! Curating a grid that is on-brand, cohesive, and clearly showcases your content is still one of the best ways to convert visitors into followers.
3. Build community on Instagram
The last step in our strategy for achieving success on Instagram is to foster a robust and active community. Having effectively expanded your audience and transformed them into followers, it is vital to retain them.
In 2023, there are six Instagram features worth focusing on as they are highly beneficial for fostering a sense of community and boosting engagement.
Instagram tactics for community building:
- Instagram stories: Stories are designed to be informal and interactive, making them the perfect channel for conversational content. Use interactive stickers (such as polls and emoji sliders) to entice as much engagement as possible, and show up on camera to help humanize your brand. Experiment with the Close Friends lists to serve exclusive content to hyper-engaged followers.
- Comments: When it comes to fostering community, listening is just as important as speaking. Take time to reply to comments and encourage conversations on your posts. Add a call-to-action in your Instagram captions and use the Pinned Comments feature to help shape the dialogue.
- Instagram live: Live broadcasts are direct and unedited, making them a great channel to connect with your audience on a more personal level. Plus, you can now schedule Instagram Lives, which is great for building hype and boosting view counts.
- Memes: If you think memes are reserved for joke accounts, think again. In 2023, memes are key for connecting with your community and generating engagement. From cute animals to funny TV show clips, memes reign supreme. If you’re looking for inspiration, think about what your audience really loves — or hates — and consider how these sentiments could play out as text overlays on trending visuals.
- Guides: The Instagram Guides feature is relatively underused, but it’s great for community building. Guides can be used to provide a valuable service to your community — from travel guides and product picks, to curated lists of educational posts.
- Direct messages: As they say, “it goes down in the DMs.” Set up automated responses to answer FAQs, learn more about your followers, and even drive sales. Or, you can post a fun Instagram Note prompting users to send you a message — hello, engagement.
4. Stick to your brand aesthetic
Instagram is a platform that focuses on visuals, and it is important for your images to establish a consistent brand. By doing so, you will communicate to your audience what they can expect and also enhance brand awareness. To achieve a consistent look for all your content, you may consider utilizing presets or filters during the editing process. This way, you are free to capture any subject matter that you desire and adjust it to align with your brand.
Having a clear understanding of image placement is essential for achieving a balanced profile. It is recommended to include simple and minimalist posts between more intricate ones. Additionally, it is important to note that branding is not solely reliant on visuals. Your captions should also align with your brand identity. The choice of which accounts to follow and interact with also contributes to your overall branding, so make thoughtful decisions in this regard.
5. Be as authentic as possible
Even if your accounts are focused on promoting products, it is important to incorporate lifestyle-style posts. Genuine content humanizes your brand, establishes a connection with your audience, and exhibits the trustworthiness of your business. Engage with a customer who has had a positive experience.
Perhaps you were mentioned in an Instagram post or received an email expressing their satisfaction with a product. Initiate contact with them to gather further information. Request to hear their personal experience and request a photo to accompany it. Instagram Stories are ideal for sharing genuine content. Unlike your regular Instagram feed that requires a polished appearance, Stories content can be casual and spontaneous.
6. Run a contest or draw attention to a promotion
Customers love contests because they offer a prize, but there are also benefits for you. To participate, you can ask users to follow your account or post using your branded hashtag on their own feed. However, it is important not to make the entry process too complicated, as users may lose interest if there are too many steps involved.
In order to maintain the same meaning, the following text is rephrased step by step: 1. Promote discounts, buy-one-get-one deals, and other types of offerings to customers. 2. Provide a coupon code and instructions on how to claim the offer. 3. Update your bio URL to make it relevant for the current promotion.
7. Tease a launch, then go live
Carousel ads and Stories generate anticipation and create curiosity for an upcoming product launch or sale by providing multiple photos and videos for users to browse through and build excitement for what is to come. Additionally, a countdown can be added to a Story, allowing followers to subscribe and receive a notification when the countdown ends. To heighten the sense of urgency, it is recommended to go live when making the announcement.
8. Be savvy about inspirational content
When it comes to motivation, we all enjoy a little inspiration every now and then. However, it is important to remember that generic motivational quotes will not be beneficial for your brand. To make a difference, it is crucial to develop your own motivational posts that align with your brand and are applicable. Refinery29 serves as a great example of this approach, as their main focus is to inspire women. By following this strategy, their simple yet effective message resonates well with their audience.
If you have a wealth of wisdom to share, be mindful of how often you incorporate inspirational quotes into your feed. Using them excessively can give the impression of frivolity. In the case of clichéd quotes, transform the essence of the sentiment into a compelling story.
9. Take advantage of trends and holidays
Newsjacking involves leveraging current events or trending topics to gain attention for your brand. This can include addressing significant social issues or contentious subjects. Additionally, it can also involve taking advantage of social media holidays such as #NationalLazyDay (which falls on August 10th) that align with your brand. These social media holidays cover a broad range of themes, and you can easily locate ones that align with your brand identity.
10. Set up shoppable posts
Shoppable posts are the solution for brands that sell products because regular Instagram posts do not allow adding clickable links to the description. When you tag your products in a post, users can tap to find out more and make a purchase.
When creating product posts, use your creativity. Since many brands sell products on Instagram, your content should be visually appealing and captivating. Observe how your audience utilizes your products; items that are easily portable, such as books or travel gear, often appear in fascinating settings.
11. Give away knowledge for free
Don’t be afraid to share your expert-level knowledge with your audience for free because there is always an abundant supply of it. Tutorials are highly appreciated, especially if they cover everything on Instagram.
Fashion brands can provide step-by-step guidance on how to style a specific apparel item, allowing customers to easily recreate the desired look. Similarly, SaaS companies have the opportunity to visually demonstrate the proper utilization of their key features, enabling users to effectively navigate their software. Restaurants can also contribute by sharing detailed recipes of their renowned dishes, enabling customers to successfully recreate and savor their favorite meals within the comforts of their own homes.
